Fort Pierre in Stanley County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Archaeology at Fort Pierre Chouteau

By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016

1. Archaeology at Fort Pierre Chouteau Marker

Inscription.

Archaeology at Fort Pierre Chouteau. . . Archaeology is the study of past human cultures. It teaches us about past events and ways of life. Archaeology also reveals how people lived day-to-day and how they dealt with changes in their environment. . . Excavation - the exposure, recording, and processing of archaeological remains through systematic digging - revealed much about Fort Pierre Chouteau. Dog and fish bones told researchers about diet at the fort. Builders' trenches and wood palisade remains showed where the fort's walls had been. Sawdust verified the existence of an active sawmill. . . The Fort Pierre Chouteau site offered many tantalizing archaeological questions. What evidence of the fort remained? Did its size change? What materials and goods did the inhabitants use? Did those materials change over time? . . Researchers also used geophysical tools - ground penetrating radar, electrical resistance meters, and magnetic gradiometers - to confirm the palisade location, reveal where buildings once stood, and identify the most likely spot for the blacksmith's shop. . .

Sponsored by the South Dakota State Historical Society; a Preserve America grant and the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad Corporation. . Images courtesy of the South Dakota Historical Society and the National Archives..

Archaeology is the study of past human cultures. It teaches us about past events and ways of life. Archaeology also reveals how people lived day-to-day and how they dealt with changes in their environment.

Excavation - the exposure, recording, and processing of archaeological remains through systematic digging - revealed much about Fort Pierre Chouteau. Dog and fish bones told researchers about diet at the fort. Builders' trenches and wood palisade remains showed where the fort's walls had been. Sawdust verified the existence of an active sawmill.

The Fort Pierre Chouteau site offered many tantalizing archaeological questions. What evidence of the fort remained? Did its size change? What materials and goods did the inhabitants use? Did those materials change over time?

Researchers also used geophysical tools - ground penetrating radar, electrical resistance meters, and magnetic gradiometers - to confirm the palisade location, reveal where buildings once stood, and identify the most likely spot for the blacksmith's shop.

Sponsored by the South Dakota State Historical Society; a Preserve America grant and the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad Corporation.Images courtesy of the South Dakota Historical Society and the National Archives.

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2. Marker detail: Recent excavation focused on the oldest pad of the fort

Recent excavation focused on the oldest pad of the fort, outlined in blue in the lower right corner. Military occupancy expanded beyond the old fort walls. The actual military layout is unknown.

Archaeologists use grids as reference points for the precise location of found objects. This grid was used to measure the wood remains of the south fortification wall.

Adobe brick pavement was found on the backside of the west palisade wall. It is undetermined if the brick was a walkway or part of a fallen wall.

The South Dakota State Historical Society, a Preserve America grant and the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad Corporation.

Location. 44° 23.453′ N, 100° 23.263′ W. Marker is in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, in Stanley County. Marker can be reached from Fort Chouteau Road 0.3 miles east of State Highway 1806 when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is located on the grounds of the Fort Pierre Chouteau National Historic Landmark, at the northeast end of the walking trail from Fort Chouteau Road. Marker is at or near this postal address: 350 Fort Chouteau Road, Fort Pierre SD 57532, United States of America.

Volunteers learned excavation techniques, scientific method, and theory first hand at Fort Pierre Chouteau. Public participation creates a greater appreciation for cultural resources and a feeling of ownership.

Geophysical tools such as ground-penetrating radar (photo right) and magnetometers (data images left) allow archaeologists to study sites without impacting them through excavation.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Fort Pierre Chouteau National Historic Landmark

Also see . . . Geophysical Surveys & Archaeological Insignts at Fort Pierre Chouteau Trading Post. Initial geophysical surveys (Kvamme 2007) were completed to determine the extent of the fur trading Fort, and additional surveys in August 2012 used magnetometry and electrical resistance to determine if evidence of military structures exists outside of the Fort. (Submitted on October 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on October 10, 2018. This page originally submitted on October 9, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 34 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 10, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

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